An In-depth Interpretation of Mencius' 'The Trees of Ox Mountain' Chapter: The Core of Innate Goodness and Cultivation of Mind and Nature
This paper takes the "The Trees of Ox Mountain" chapter from Mencius' "Gaozi" as its core text, integrating it with pre-Qin philosophical literature to deeply analyze the argumentative structure of innate human goodness, the mechanisms by which external environments harm the mind and nature, and the philosophical foundations and cultivation practices of the theory of innate goodness.
Chapter 26: Selected Explanations from Zhao Qi’s Annotations
Zhao Qi ($29-201 CE), a scholar of the late Eastern Han Dynasty, authored the Mencius Chapters and Sentences, which is the earliest existing commentary on the Mencius and is invaluable for understanding Mencius’s original text.
Key points from Zhao Qi’s annotation of the "Wood of Ox Mountain" chapter:
I. "Ox Mountain is a mountain in Qi. It is located south of Linzi." — Establishes the geographical location of Ox Mountain.
II. "Mei means lush beauty." — Establishes the meaning of "Mei" as abundance.
III. "Zhuozhuo means the appearance of having no trees or plants." — Establishes the meaning of "Zhuozhuo" as barrenness.
IV. "Fang means loss." — Establishes the meaning of "Fang" as loss.
V. "Pingdan means the time of clear dawn." — Establishes the meaning of "Pingdan" as the time around daybreak.
VI. "Gu means fetters." — Establishes the meaning of "Gu" as a penal instrument (extended to mean restraint).
VII. "Qing means truth/reality." — Establishes the meaning of "Qing" as true disposition (rather than emotion).
Zhao Qi’s annotations are characterized by their conciseness and clarity. He faithfully adheres to Mencius’s original text, explaining the most critical concepts with minimal wording, thus laying the foundation for subsequent deeper interpretations.